Organizations and individuals that plan to respond must first register online before submitting materials. A range of grants, contracts, awards and other financial packages will be issued, the department said. DHS may fund all or part of a technology program, including technology development, prototype development and field performance investigations.

The announcement calls for ideas and categories across a range of revolutionary and maturing technologies, including technology for:

Explosives countermeasures

Chemical and biological analysis and countermeasures

Border and maritime security technologies

Command, control and interoperability for integrated networks and first responders

Human-factor analysis and techniques to improve understanding of threats posed by groups and individuals and

Infrastructure protection.

All submissions must demonstrate a homeland security application. The BAA asked for unclassified proposals, but also said it would accept classified proposals.

The directorate plans to issue evaluations and awards on a rolling selection basis. The announcement set a schedule for evaluations within 60 days from receipt and awards to be approximately 60 days after award notification. The department plans to base the awards on overall scientific and technical merit of a proposal and the offeror's capabilities, experience and past performance. The directorate will take cost considerations into account for each proposal. In the case of large businesses, the small business subcontracting opportunities will be an additional factor in evaluating proposals, the directorate said.